Last year, at about this same time, we
found out that we had a problem with the beavers and began to research solutions
in order to co-exist peacefully. While researching, we found Mike Callahan's web
site, his DVD and the Beaver
Management Forum on Facebook. Mike and the folks in the forum,
povided great feedback. By July we were ready to implement a
solution and I posted this
presentation here on the website and on the BMF. However,
just before we were ready to move forward, a family emergency pulled me out of
state for almost five months, which resulted in a delay until now.

One part of the silver lining in the
family emergency is that it gave us more time to
plan. During March, Mike provided additional valuable guidance
including a face to face review of our plan. Below is the plan as it
exists today. It differs from the solutions I outlined in the
presentation last year, in that it has no flow control. We feel the
fence will do the job, and as Mike pointed out, even if it doesn't our next step
could be to put in pond leveling pipes.

In the next few days, we will bring in
a back hoe to clear the culverts and level the bottom for the placement of the
cage/fence. The fence
will protect four, two-foot culvert pipes and have a full bottom.
It will be constructed in two sections on land.The two sections will be joined and then
moved into place in the culvert. The animated GIF below the
fence picture shows the assmebly process. Below the GIF is an estimated
cost of materials (minus truck rental cost to pick up the steel mesh).